Standardized Treatment andDiagnostic Approach to Reduce Disease burden in the early postoperative phase in children with congenital heart defects—STANDARD study: a pilot randomized controlled trial

To explore the effect of a daily goal checklist on pediatric cardiac intensive care unit (PCICU) length of stay (LOS) after congenital heart surgery. This study is a prospective randomized single-center study. Group characteristics were as follows: STANDARD group: n = 30, 36.7% female, median age 0.9 years; control group: n = 33, 36.4% female, median age 1.1 years. Invasive ventilation time, STAT categories, mean vasoactive-inotropic score (VIS) 24h , maximal (max.) VIS 24h , mean VIS 24–48h , max. VIS 24–48h , VIS category, number of sedatives, analgesics, diuretics, number of deployed diagnostic modalities, morbidities, and mortality did not differ between both groups. Median PCICU LOS was 96.0 h (STANDARD group) versus 101.5 h (control group) ( p = 0.63). In the overall cohort, univariate regression analysis identified age at surgery ( b = −0.02), STAT category ( b = 18.3), severity of CHD ( b = 40.6), mean VIS 24h ( b = 3.5), max. VIS 24h ( b = 2.2), mean VIS 24–48h ( b = 6.5), and VIS category ( b = 13.8) as significant parameters for prolonged PCICU LOS. In multivariate regression analysis, age at surgery ( b = −0.2), severity of CHD ( b = 44.0), and mean VIS 24h ( b = 6.7) were of significance. Within the STANDARD sub-group, univariate regression analysis determined STAT category ( b = 32.3), severity of CHD ( b = 70.0), mean VIS 24h ( b = 5.0), mean VIS 24–48h ( b = 5.9), number of defined goals ( b = 2.6), number of achieved goals ( b = 3.3), number of not achieved goals ( b = 10.8), and number of unevaluated goals ( b = 7.0) as significant parameters for prolonged PCICU LOS. Multivariate regression analysis identified the number of defined goals ( b = 2.5) and the number of unevaluated goals ( b = −3.0) to be significant parameters. Conclusion : The structured realization and recording of daily goals is of advantage in patients following pediatric cardiac surgery by reducing PCICU LOS. What is known: • Communication errors are the most frequent reasons for adverse events in intensive care unit patients. • Improved communication can be achieved by discussion and documentation of the patients’ goals during daily rounds. What is new: • In the overall cohort age at surgery, severity of congenital heart defect and mean vasoactive inotropic score within the first 24 hours had significant impact on pediatric cardiac intensive care unit (PCICU) length of stay (LOS). • In the intervention group, the number of defined goals and the